Did you know that any two applicants can participate in Match Day as a couple? Yes, indeed! The journey to securing residency in the medical field is already challenging enough and filled with plenty of uncertainties and tough decisions along the way. However, for couples, the process becomes even more complicated, particularly when thinking about spending the next three to seven years in a new location, possibly far away from home and family life.
Nevertheless, with careful planning and consideration, engaging in Couples Match is a rewarding experience, offering plenty of advantages and opportunities. Fortunately, the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) provide a collaborative approach that assists partners in pursuing their professional career goals while still nurturing their personal relationships.
Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) proudly celebrates the achievement of three students who successfully matched as couples during this year’s Match Day ceremony. Among these physicianeers are Cailin O’Connell, Austin Hagen, and Adam Saleh. In an insightful interview, Austin Hagen and his spouse, Claire Hagen, spoke about their experiences throughout the process following the Match Day ceremony.
Austin Hagen and Claire Hagen met each other during their early years in medical school. Although they were pursuing their medical careers at different institutions, both were passionate about their studies. Austin was specializing in orthopedics at EnMed, while Claire was focused on dermatology at McGovern Medical School. Reflecting on their decision to apply for residency together, Austin shares, “We were both motivated by a desire to have a profession where we could be able to make a difference in people’s lives medically and pursue fields we were interested in. When we decided to get married before our fourth year, our mutual understanding was that our marriage would come first, and the couples match helped us ensure that we would not be separated for residency.”
Elaborating on their approach to creating their rank order list, Claire explains, “We ultimately decided early on in our marriage that we would prioritize being in the same location above other factors. This didn’t stop us from pursuing the programs and specialties we desired. We ended up applying for the fields we were most interested in, orthopedics and dermatology, respectively, despite the knowledge that these were extremely competitive fields. We thankfully agreed on locations and training environments for the most part, which was a huge blessing.”
However, their journey was not without its challenges. Austin recalls, “Couples matching into two competitive specialties with a commitment to being in the same town came with significant sacrifices. While Claire matched to her favorite program, I was left without a match.” In fact, Austin had a match a few spots down his list, but due to the Couples Match algorithm, he was left with no choice but to enter the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
SOAP provides a standardized system for residency programs to extend open positions to eligible individuals who still need to secure a match or have partially matched during Match Week. Being prepared for SOAP is crucial for applicants who may find themselves unmatched at the beginning of Match Week. While this process ensured Austin and Claire wouldn’t be separated for four years, it also presented challenges that left Austin with no other option but to pursue his second specialty.
“Thankfully, there was a SOAP spot at all for me in the city Claire matched to that I was able to take advantage of,” Austin reflects on the experience. “Claire supported me throughout the process, for which I am thankful. It is important to be clear and on the same page about your desires, goals, and commitment to the relationship before the process so that you can use the Couples Match to meet the goals you have set between you and your partner.”
In another compelling interview, Adam Saleh and his partner, Ragini Kondetimmanahalli, additionally provided engaging insights into their journey throughout the Couples Match process. Ragini and Adam had been in a relationship for about four years prior to starting medical school. Ragini’s inspiration to pursue medicine came from her empathy for people and her grandmother’s struggle with cancer. Similarly, Adam was motivated by his curiosity and the experience of watching his mother fight against cancer.
“I think we both witnessed the roles doctors played in our lives and hoped to provide that role for others in the future,” Adam shares, reflecting on their past together. “Ragini was actually a year behind me in college. I was in the class of 2019, and she was in the class of 2020 at UT-Austin, so our journey to applying to residency together started first by deciding to apply to medical school together,” Adam continued to share.
Adam opted for a gap year after college so he and Ragini could apply to medical school together. “Naturally, by the time residency came around, we were similarly committed,” Adam adds.
Adam acknowledges the challenges they faced by discussing the creation of their rank order list. He pursued internal medicine with hopes of specializing in gastroenterology later, while Ragini applied to family medicine. Despite receiving interviews nationwide, they had to compromise on the order in which they ranked programs.
“We both had programs that we ranked perhaps slightly higher than we would have otherwise so that our counterpart could have their preference,” Adam explains. They went back and forth on this order to create their rank list. This decision was pretty straightforward for Adam and Ragini since they both felt they would genuinely be happy in most places, if not all, of the programs on their list.
“We were truthfully open to going anywhere in the country since we felt as if having each other would be a sufficient support system to start out with,” Adam shares as he reflects on the ranking process. Despite facing long-distance challenges during their medical school years, Adam and Ragini found ways to prioritize each other and emerge stronger together.
When navigating the residency match, communication, sacrifice, and strategic planning are necessary for each couple. By working together and understanding the nuances of this process, couples can successfully enhance their chances of securing positions in programs aligning with their professional and personal aspirations and embark on a fulfilling journey in medicine side by side.
